One word: surreal.
This time yesterday I was suspended from a crane quaffing white wine waiting for a Michelin-starred three-course meal cooked by this guy:
In the sky.
Yes, really.
Daniel Hutchens (Speyside Glenlivet), Jacquie Bance de Vasquez and Leigh Farmer
(Sustainable Restaurant Association)
I was invited to attend London in the Sky by the good people at Speyside Glenlivet. They were also responsible for keeping me sober - important at this dizzying height. (I am a klutz and a dropped knife, fork or glass is a regular occurrence when I dine with wine; much more dramatic at 100 feet!)
An aside: I love cooking but I didn't become a chef because (a) the hours are unsociable, (b) I am sociable, (c) all chefs are [insert favourite expletive here: ****].
Not this guy:
Pascal Aussignac, Head Chef, Club Gascon
I have never come across such fun, friendly, charming culinary speci-man. He was chatting, laughing and dancing. FFS – icing on the cake!
But what of the food? It is not often I say this, but for once in my life it was secondary to the experience. Not because it wasn’t fabulous – it was – but, to be honest, they could have served me beans on toast and I would have been happy. But, of course, they didn’t and it was fantastic.
Crackling soft duck egg and autumn truffle
To start, Crackling soft duck egg and autumn truffle, a lesson in contrasting textures and flavours. A perfectly soft poached egg resting on a bed of velvety smooth truffle cream and crispy katafi pastry.
Egg + truffle = umami rich, but both the pastry and the salty fingers plant were light and crisp, which made for a good balancing act.
We watched as Pascal and his team (of two) plated up 22 portions of White gold legine fish, French caviar, almond and verbena. Legine – otherwise known as toothfish – is firm, like halibut. In less skilled hands it could easily be the wrong side of done, but it was cooked gently and the result was tender and delicate. Indeed, the whole dish could be described as such; even the flavour of the smoked caviar was ever so subtle.
White gold legine fish, French caviar, almond and verbena
My host Daniel Hutchens, brand ambassador for Speyside Glenlivet, should win an award for most perceptive taste buds. I was skeptical when he mentioned a hint of lavender, but he asked the sous chef and it turned out the oil was scented with it.
A brief trip to the ground to pick up the final course, Black luscious millionaire, which I was slightly disappointed to discover was definitely a dessert and not the person delivering the lemon gel and thyme ice-cream.
Black luscious millionaire, lemon gel and thyme ice-cream
Ah well, can’t complain; it really was delicious. Silky smooth dark chocolate mousse with a crunchy biscuit base, ingeniously paired with the heady and aromatic thyme ice cream.
By 3pm I was back in my office in central London writing up minutes from last week’s Senior Management Team meeting.
Yeah, you heard me: surreal.
London in the Sky is a pop-up restaurant at Wood Wharf Park, Canary Wharf, E14 9SB run by Events in the Sky. It runs from 12th to 21st September 2014. My meal was cooked by Pascal Aussignac of Club Gascon.
Speyside Glenlivet, the water choice of many fine restaurants and hotels, sponsored the event and my meal. I attended along with Daniel Hutchens, brand ambassador for Speyside Glenlivet; Jacquie Bance de Vasquez and Leigh Farmer of the Sustainable Restaurant Association; and Helena Houghton and Ilisha Waring of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.
Thank you, Speyside Glenlivet. What an experience! :)